Question: Simplify the following expression: $ x = \dfrac{1}{8} - \dfrac{-2t + 4}{2} $
In order to subtract expressions, they must have a common denominator. Multiply the first expression by $\dfrac{2}{2}$ $ \dfrac{1}{8} \times \dfrac{2}{2} = \dfrac{2}{16} $ Multiply the second expression by $\dfrac{8}{8}$ $ \dfrac{-2t + 4}{2} \times \dfrac{8}{8} = \dfrac{-16t + 32}{16} $ Therefore $ x = \dfrac{2}{16} - \dfrac{-16t + 32}{16} $ Now the expressions have the same denominator we can simply subtract the numerators: $x = \dfrac{2 - (-16t + 32) }{16} $ Distribute the negative sign: $x = \dfrac{2 + 16t - 32}{16}$ $x = \dfrac{16t - 30}{16}$ Simplify the expression by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2: $x = \dfrac{8t - 15}{8}$